Shera's Gift For Cid
by Shard Aerliss
Summary: Another year, another number. Cid's feeling old...


I don't normally right mushy stuff like this, really I hate the McGuffin I've used...

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><p>"So..." Yuffie whistled, her eyes following a trail of paper chains across the ceiling. "Where's the birthday boy."<p>

Shera sighed, placing the final platter of party food onto the table. All of Cid's friends were here, and he was out in the garden, being grumpy and pottering around with an engine. Even Vincent had managed to turn up, and no one had heard from him in three months.

"You know what he's like," she smiled at the gathering. "He'd forget to eat if I just left him out there tinkering."

"You think he'd remember his own birthday party!" Yuffie pouted, stamping her foot as petulantly as though she were still a child. The big blue ribbon on top of the brightly papered box in her arms giggled up and down. "It is his big four oh."

"Yes," Shera offered. "I'll... fetch him."

It was a bright, crisp day. Shera could see a wisp of condensed air sprouting from behind a massive engine as Cid grumbled to himself. She called his name as she approached, so as not to startle him too much.

"Everyone is here..."

"Then tell 'em to go home," he didn't look up from his work.

"Cid," Shera put a hand on his back as he bent down to undo a bolt. "They're here for your birthday."

"And ah told yah; they can go home... or celebrate without me."

"Look at me," Shera demanded with a wry smile; she had an inkling as to what was wrong.

Cid stood up and turned to her. He knew that tone, he knew not to disobey it; or there would be no dinner. She was standing with her hands on her hips, eyeing him with mock suspicion. He did not like that look.

"What?" he asked, almost sheepishly.

"Why don't you want to celebrate your birthday."

"'Cos ah'm busy."

"No you're not. This is just an excuse," she prodded a finger into his shoulder. "What's wrong with you."

"Nothin!" he declared, aghast. "Ah just..."

"Is it because of the number?" she asked softly, her fingers trailing around the white scarf he was wearing.

"No," Cid pouted.

"Yes it it! You don't want to admit you're forty."

"Shut up."

"I'm right, aren't I? You NEVER miss a chance to have some fun with your friends. And Vincent is here. When did you last even talk to him?"

"Doesn't matter," Cid tried to turn back to his work, but his wife would not let him. "Ah don't wanna celebrate, okay."

"But I worked so hard on the party, Cid," Shera pouted, letting her big brown eyes do the talking for her.

"Damn you, woman! Don't do that."

"I have a surprise for you," she waited a moment, then added playfully. "You won't feel so old when I tell you."

Cid was not so sure. It was not just the number of years behind him; he was finally starting to feel his age. He could not drink as much, he felt tired more often, he certainly would not be able to take out half the monsters he had killed during the Sephiroth incident. All of his friends were so much younger than he was, Vincent did not even age. Shera was younger than him too; would he lose her soon? Would he leave her behind eventually, a poor lonely widow?

Shera took his hand, grimy as it was, and placed it on her belly. He looked at her, simply confused.

"I'm pregnant," she offered as he continued to not understand.

"You're pregnant?" he stressed the first word far more than the latter.

"Yes, me. Oddly enough, out of the two of us, I'm the only one who can get pregnant."

"But... how," Cid was flabbergasted.

Shera looked at him awry; "What do you mean 'how'? Do I have to explain these things to you?"

"No," Cid shook his head, his hand still on her belly. "I mean... I mean... you're going to be a mother?"

"And you're going to be a dad, Captain."

Shera watched as the largest smile she had ever seen crept across Cid's face. The he laughed out loud and swung her round as he hugged her. All ideas of being 'old' suddenly left Cid's mind. He was going to be a dad. He was going to have a child. He was going to hold his own baby in his arms.

He was going to drop it.

"Oh no... no I can't... I'm not ready to be a father."

"Cid!" Shera chuckled as he put her down again. "You're completely ready. You'll be a great father. Of course, you'll have to stop smoking. And cut down on the whiskey. No more leaving oily clothes lying about the house."

"Suddenly this doesn't sound so good," he mused, playfully. "Do you know... is it a boy or a girl?"

"Too soon to tell, but I was thinking; if it's a boy we'll name him after Vincent, and if it's a girl we can call her Aerith?"

Cid grinned again. Those were perfect names; Vincent would not know what to say! He'd probably blush. The Captain took Shera's hand and started pulling her back to the house.

"Come on then, I want to tell everyone!"


End file.
